Head of Department Test Services (all humans)

Make a difference in the financial life of millions of people: At Erste Digital you are co-creating the digital future, in which better financial health is possible. #believeinyourself

We are part of Erste Group – the largest banking group in Central and Eastern Europe with more than 2,500 branches and over 45,000 employees. Our more than 2,000 IT experts and enthusiasts are the bank's Digital Muscle.

The Core Integration & Platforms division of Erste Digital is responsible for delivering core banking systems, backend infrastructure, and platform services primarily for Erste Bank and the Austrian savings banks, while also supporting group-wide systems across the entire Erste Group.

As Head of Test Services, you are responsible for testing 90+ core banking and backend systems. You lead test automation, manage suppliers in different locations, and oversee two test supplier Master Service Agreements. You support platform modernization by (AI) testing initiatives, ensure foster a culture of automation and quality and ensure compliance to it. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on involvement and offers room for innovation and ownership.

What to do:

• Take end-to-end responsibility for a diverse test portfolio comprising over 90 systems and applications across various banking domains, with approximately 40,000 predominantly automated test cases

• Ensure application and system quality in monthly release cycles in close collaboration with your internal team and around 80 external testers based in India and Serbia

• Act as contract owner for two major Master Service Agreements with test suppliers, managing procurement and annual order volumes exceeding €10 million

• Serve as the lead author of the Erste Digital Test Policy, shaping the strategic direction of testing practices

• Own and manage dedicated test automation infrastructure and environments, including Windows Forest, virtual workspaces, unattended test execution, and synthetic test tenants

• Demonstrate willingness to travel occasionally to India, Serbia, and Slovakia to support collaboration with international partners

You check these boxes:

• Strong organizational skills and a detail-oriented mindset for effective management of complex testing environments

• Proven experience in banking IT across multiple domains such as Core Banking, Retail, Payments, and Business Intelligence

• A deep interest in quality assurance and a drive to continuously improve testing methods and tools, including automation and AI

• ITIL and/or ISTQB certifications and a solid foundation in IT service and quality management

• Skilled in managing teams and suppliers, overseeing financials, negotiating contracts, and ensuring compliance

• Experience with IT testing processes like change, release, and deployment management, and familiarity with tools such as ServiceNow

• Advanced proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel

• Proficiency in English, German is an advantage

Our Offer:

• Possibility to benefit and learn from our international, talented and passionate community at Erste

• Interest groups and clubs: Take part in discussions and get involved in projects. Numerous interest groups invite you to engage with a topic

• Health Centre – The Erste Campus operates a fully equipped health center that offers all employees a high standard of medical services during working hours.

• Employee benefits – Benefit from special conditions for financial services and insurances, supermarkets, clothing stores and many more.

• Employee Referral Program – Become a talent scout for career opportunities in IT. We are rewarding every successful referral for Erste Digital

• A competitive and performance-related salary dependent on your professional and personal qualifications is granted - the minimum wage for this position in accordance with the respective collective agreement is EUR 82.600,-- gross per year. But this is just a formality, we are more than happy to discuss your actual expectations.

The way we are:

Erste Group considers the diversity of its employees as key to innovation and success. As employer we are proud to offer everyone equal chances, irrespective of age, skin colour, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation or origin.